Tuesday, February 19, 2013

My last few blog posts have talked about moments but this one is gonna hit on milestones.

Some might ask what is the difference? To me a moment is a very clear, defined point in time. When I have a "moment" I feel I can scoop up that exact point in my life..it is perfectly carved out. I remember every detail - positive or negative. A milestone is an event...something that I've usually worked hard to attain. In most cases it has taken some form of effort or change on my part. When I have a "milestone" I recall feeling proud because in most cases it wasn't easy to get there.

Runners talk about miles A LOT...

"How many miles did you run this morning/evening?"

"How many miles are we running this weekend?"

"How many miles did you run this week/month/year?"

We also get the crazy questions about miles from our non-running friends...

"How many miles is a marathon?"

"You ran HOW many miles this weekend?"

"Why would you do that...I don't even drive that far?"

And to be honest, three years ago that was me and I absolutely love it when someone asks me those questions because it gives me a chance to tell my story and how I began my journey...it allows me to tell them about my MILEstones...and how running (in a way) changed my life! While at the same time encouraging them to start a journey of their own!

Dallas - Houston-Austin
Marathons of Texas | 2012-2013

This weekend was a MILEstone for me...it completed the Marathons of Texas races - Dallas, Houston and Austin! I find it interesting that if you add up the mileage from Dallas to Houston to Austin and back to Dallas it is approximately 598 miles. I began training for these races in June 2012 and I use a Garmin to track most of my runs. I don't track runs I do on a treadmill and occasionally the Garmin dies during a run or I forget it, but when I ran a report to see my training miles from mid June to end of January it showed 459.3 miles. I then did a calculation of what I thought my mileage should be during this time and it came to approximately 640 miles. Here's my POINT...my training for Dallas full, Houston full and Austin half...pretty much equaled the distance to travel to those races...I thought it was pretty ironic ; )

Austin half also marked my 12th half marathon and it was where I ran my VERY FIRST half marathon 3 years ago! Take a look at this blog post from 2010. MILEstone!

What made Austin even more special is that I was with two dear friends...Jessica and Kalee. It was a quick trip but boy we had some laughs especially on the course...and some tears...and every single hill was worth it. I love these ladies and I loved running next to them!

We had some special visitors on the course...right after the split where the marathoners go to the left and the half stay to the right there was a water stop that was supported by Superhero Kids. I was quite thankful we were on the half course this time around : ) Georgia, our friend and honored hero from Austin...her family volunteers for the organization and they were working the water stop. As we rounded the corner I saw a huge GFORCE sign...and then I saw Ivy (Georgia's sister) passing out water...and then I saw Georgia with a sign for me and her Dad with a sign for Jessica. I simply can't describe the feeling...it was AWESOME! It was just what we needed for the final two miles and the big ole, steep hill that was hiding around the next corner.

Side note for the signs: GFORCE is for Kalee's son (Grayson) who is currently battling leukemia - its their team name and the shirts we wear when we run for Grayson; Jessica's sign said "Go for Grant" as he is adjusting to life with epilepsy and for Houston we fundraised for the Epilepsy Foundation; and my sign said Just Keep Swimming because it is a motto Georgia's used during treatment (from Finding Nemo) and I used it back when I ran the Chicago Marathon in 2011.

Georgia is 9 months OFF TREATMENT and continues to do well. She is having some issues with her left ankle and some bone loss that they are keeping a close eye on so please send prayers her way that they determine the right course of treatment for that. Until then she gets to wear that fancy boot but as you can tell it doesn't slow her down!

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Aidan (or 80) as some call him is a TNT honored hero and he needs our help! I have not personally met 80 and his family but Andy, my friend, knows them and I get my updates from him as well as the One Love for 80 facebook page.

80 and Andy this past weekend

80 has had a long battle with leukemia most recently that diagnosis has turned into AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia). 80 needs a bone marrow transplant but his family members are NOT a match and currently there is not a match in the registry so we need MORE people to sign up as donors!

On Sunday, February 17 in Prosper there will be a BONE MARROW DRIVE...please come out and get swabbed. By getting swabbed this puts you in the database with two organizations - Delete Blood Cancer and Be the Match. We encourage you to get familiar with both. Delete Blood Cancer is the one sponsoring 80's drive this weekend. You must be between 18 and 55 and in good general health.If you are found to be a match, you will be notified separately and given more information on additional testing.

ONE LOVE FOR 80 - Bone Marrow Donor Drive

Sunday, February 17, 2013

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Lighthouse Christian Fellowship Church

4255 E. Prosper Trail

Prosper, TX

I have a PDF that I can email if you have a church group or organization that you are willing to email this information too or you can just send the link to this blog. We need as many people to get swabbed...not only for 80 but for others whose life depends on finding a donor!

Please do not let a lack of information or misinformation STOP you from getting swabbed or becoming a donor. Click the above image to learn the FACTS.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Wanna know how you can be GOODER? Wanna know how to make your life AWESOME?

Get that air flowing through your nose...get that heart beating! JOIN the TEAM!

Get out of your comfort zone and join this season of Team in Training...help find a cure...help defeat cancer. Do something for yourself...and do something to help others...help change the world!

North Texas Kickoff is this Saturday, February 9 at 2:00pm at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie that is for marathon, cycling, triathlon and hike teams (yes we have hike)! If you can't make it out there you can still sign up! Training starts the following weekend. I posted the events in a previous blog post.

My dream...well I have a lot...but one high on the list is a cure for cancer and in the meantime I'll settle for cutting edge treatments that LLS and TNT are funding as I type this! Those faces on my blog banner...I know them...I know their stories...they have touched my heart and together we will be successful...we will find a cure because we are on the SAME team!